The Andrews Labor Government today announced a $1 million plan to boost cellar door visits, create jobs and promote regional tourism, to be secured in the 2015-16 Victorian Budget.
The $1 million will fund the development of the Labor Government’s Victorian Wine Tourism Strategy and support initiatives that promote wine tourism and cellar door visitations, creating jobs and increasing exports.
Visiting Mount Langi Ghiran Winery today, Minister for Agriculture, Jaala Pulford, said the wine industry was important to local communities in wine producing regions across Victoria, as well as the broader tourism industry.
Victoria’s $1.5 billion wine industry has 21 wine regions with more than 800 wineries and employs more than 11,500 people, including 2,600 people directly employed in grape growing and winemaking.
The Strategy will drive the development of the industry, focusing on smaller and growing businesses and emerging as well as established wine regions, growing regional tourism and creating jobs.
The Labor Government will also establish a Wine Industry Ministerial Advisory Group.
The group will bring together industry knowledge and advise on research, development and extension, biosecurity, regional investment, skills and workforce, infrastructure, regulation and trade matters.
These efforts will go hand in hand with Victoria’s first large-scale wine industry trade mission in late May, which will bring more than 100 key international wine buyers, investors and influential industry figures to our state.
The mission will display the quality of Victorian wine and include tours of Victoria's premier wine regions, one-on-one meetings, and a major wine showcase, opening up new overseas markets.
The $1 million Victorian Wine Tourism Strategy will be funded by the Regional Jobs and Infrastructure Fund.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Agriculture, Jaala Pulford
“Our first budget gives much more than a drop to Victoria’s wine industry, it will steer it towards an even better future.”
“The wine industry provides growth to local communities and the tourism industry, that’s why we’re supporting it to boost jobs, tourism and exports.”
“By working with the industry, we’ll showcase our first-class wines and winemakers both locally and on the world stage.”
Quotes attributable to Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade, Adem Somyurek
“The Labor Government looks forward to welcoming wine buyers, investors and influential industry figures from key export markets as part of the “Meet the Winemaker” inbound trade mission in late May.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020